Read our Grand Rapids Bariatric Surgery and Medical Weight Loss Patient Stories

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November 12th, 2009 To prospective patients of Dr. Paul Kemmeter and Grand Health Partners, I am essentially a bariatric surgeon’s worse possible nightmare. Not only a huge guy at 6’ 8” and 530+ pounds at the time of my procedure, but four previous major (open) abdominal surgeries resulting from an auto trauma has left me full of scar tissue and adhesions and nearly impossible to operate on safely. Two years of searching for a bariatric surgeon resulted in consultations and completion of the entire preliminary process with three separate prominent Michigan bariatric surgeons. All three physicians encouraged me and were positive regarding their ability to help me. All three independently concluded that a non-invasive (scope) procedure was impossible for me and all three eventually rejected me as a candidate for any type of bariatric procedure within two weeks of my scheduled surgery date. Explanations for my rejections varied, but I eventually came to believe that I was being rejected because I represented a poor prospect for surgery in terms of financial return on investment for the practices involved. The effects of two years of my effort and expense ending only in unceremonious rejection were devastating to me in both financial and emotional terms. Then by God’s grace I came to Grand Health Partners where I met Dr. Paul Kemmeter. Not only did Dr. Kemmeter successfully perform my bariatric surgery, he did so non-invasively using an arthroscopic procedure that the three other prominent Michigan bariatric surgeons said that for me, was not possible. To date I am down over 100 pounds and am still losing weight. I have recovered much of the joy of life that was lost to me for so many years. I know if you are reading this that you have likely suffered much of the same physical, emotional and social trauma that I did for so many years. I am writing this to assure you that you are now in the right place to get the help that you need and deserve. Through his enormous skill, dogged determination and first and foremost, commitment to genuinely helping his patients, I am giving my highest possible recommendation to Dr. Kemmeter and Grand Health Partners. Sincerely, Mark H Kalamazoo County, Michigan P.S. As a layman I am obviously not qualified to comment on any medical or behavioral issues, but if for any reason you would like to communicate with me regarding my bariatric surgery experiences or for additional reference, please do not hesitate to email me at the address below. And just for your information and reassurance… My relationship with Dr. Kemmeter is only that of a very happy patient. I have no other affiliation with the Doctor or with Grand Health Partners. bariatricsuccess@gmail.com

I had my surgery In January of 2006. It was a life changing experience. I was over 400 when I started, with the special diets. Now 3 years later I am down to 190 pounds. It helped that I was a lucky one that was able to get the excess skin and tissue removed from my stomach. I had that done October 14,2009. For the first time since I was in high school I can look down and see all of the tops of my legs. I can cross my legs to put my socks on. Never could do that. Sorry I don't have any pictures to put on here yet. thanks and don't be afraid to start the process to a new and better life. Thanks, Gladys Thompson

When I first met the staff, in their former office, I was 25 years old. I was referred to the clinic by my doctors office to do a food management class. I was overweight, but had no other complications. That class was not beneficial to me, because my weight loss was minimal. Six months later my doctor referred by back to the clinic. At that time I was 26, a single mother, insulin-dependent diabetic, had high-blood pressure and was 408 pounds. I woke up everyday with a sense of nothingness. I didnt feel like I was living life, but I was merely exsisting. I remember small everyday things that some people really dont pay attention to, but bothered me tremendously. Things such as tying my shoes, setting in a booth and even fastening my seatbelt became a huge task. I even had to sit in a special chair at church with metal legs instead wooden ones, because I had broken 2 already. That was the point I knew that I had to do something. I was given Dr.Kemmeter's name from a friend who had just undergone the surgery, right before my intial appointment. The staff was very helpful, informative and showed that they were genuinely concerned with my well-being. I dedicated myself to do whatever was necessary for my surgery to be as successful as possible. Dr. Kemmeter was the best doctor I have ever had the oppurtunity to work with. He was knowledgeable about his craft and made sure that any doubts that I had were answered. I knew my options, before making a decision and was not pressured into having a procedure done I wasnt comfortable with. We worked as a team to make sure I was fully prepared for what the future held for me. When the surgery date finally came I was nervous, excited, anxious and relieved all at the same time. I wasn't sure what to expect or how I would feel physically before or after the surgery, but Dr.Kemmeter and his assistant Todd were at my bedside ensuring me that the choice I had made would be one of the best. Needless to say, it has. I lost a total of about 180 pounds and was just 3 pounds away from what Dr. Kemmeter figured my goal weight would be. I am no longer taking ANY medicines for diabetes or hypertension and haven't been on them in over 2 years. One of the greatest achievements I have seen thus far was being able to conceive. I ive birth to a healthy baby boy on June 16, 2009. Years prior to my surgery, my Ob/Gyn told me that if I didnt lose weight I would not be able to have any more children. I know that without having worked with the Grand Health Partners staff that would not have been possible. I am extremely grateful for all the help and encouragement over these past years. Whenever I have an issue or concern, their staff is right there. I thank God, for being connected to such an AWESOME medical staff! I am even more thankful that I am finally able to more then just exsist...I can finally LIVE!

11/01/2009 Up-date--I just finished attending my 3 year follow-up visit after bariatric surgery with Dr. James Foote. I now weigh 135 pounds, wear a size 8 jeans, & have a BMI of 24. Prior to surgery I weighed approximately 285 lbs., wore a size 22 (or plus size 2x), & i would not have a clue if my BMI was even anywhere in a range easily calculated. I am so healthy, & grateful for the support of my family, the professionals, & the entire staff at GHP. What a great, supportive group of individuals. They do not stop their close follow-up! They remain active & vigilant in the quality of your care. I do Zumba an hour a day & I am going to try & teach myself "Core" Pilates. I have my life back. I feel empowered, confident, & again healthy. Listen to your body! It takes awhile (everyone will be different) to achieve total control ! Especially, do not overeat. STOP, when you begin to feel full. It takes approximately 20 minutes to actualize that full feeling. I wish you all the very best... Good health, good nutrition, & good exercising. Respectfully, Judi Cole I

In February of 2005 my father in law passed away. That was a big hit for our family and trying to explain this to my 4 year old son was even harder. It was not until almost a month later that I realized how he understood what we had told him and how much that conversation and his understanding would change my life forever. In early March of that year I was wrestling around on the floor with my 4 year old, Dillon. After wrestling for about 3-5 minutes I was out of breath and having trouble breathing. It seems that my 467 pound body could not keep up with the exertion of rolling on the floor for 3 minutes. As I sat up and pushed him away for a second, my wife asked if I was OK. To that I said “No, I’m dying here” (just a figure of speech, or so I thought). Just then, Dillon came running up to me, jumped on my lap with his arms around my neck, squeezing with all of his might and proclaimed “No Daddy!, don’t go see Jesus like Grandpa, I’ll be good”. At that point I do not think anything in this world could have hurt me, shocked me, nor affected me as much. It was at that point that I decided (between my tears of pain and realization) that I had to make a change and I had to do it NOW or tomorrow may never come and now, it was more important than ever that my tomorrows do keep coming. I have a little boy that wants and needs me. The next day I had an appointment with my Primary Care Physician for a regular check up. I decided that I would talk to him about it and see what he thought would be my best option. When I got to the point of asking him about my options, I asked what he thought of Gastric Bypass. He said that he never brings it up to people because they need to make that decision on their own but if someone brings it up he supports the idea and refers them to Dr. Baker’s office. He ended up getting me the phone number and I set up a free consultation and started researching the procedure, talking to people who had it and asking a million questions. After the consultation my insurance ended up requiring me to do the “medical” program before they would approve the surgical. That didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to live. Dillon needs me. I did the 17 week program, lost about 40 pounds, and was approved for the Roux en Y surgery. On July 18, 2006 I had the surgery done by Dr. Baker. He was top notch. He answered my questions, told the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of this procedure. He made every attempt to make sure that I completely understood the ins and outs of the process. His staff has always been top notch - from the receptionists when you walk in the door, to the nurses, Physician Assistants, Interns, and doctors. Now here it is, February 2009, and to date I have lost 257 pounds and feel better then I ever have before. Normally the story would stop here, but we are talking about a practice that does “more”. I am over 2 years out, and still talk with the Exercise Physiologist and Dietitian quite often. Andy Retberg (the Exercise Physiologist) has helped me set up a work out routine, figure out what clothes I would need to run in cold weather, showed me warm ups, cool downs, and even worked out another exercise program for me when I had my tummy tuck a year later. There seems to be no end to what he will do for me. He has been a great benefit and no matter how much I email or call him (and I do that a lot) he never lets me down. In every call or meeting I have with him, he makes me feel like I am the only one that he has to deal with that day. He is truly there every step of the way with passion and support like no other. You would think that “one” person in every office goes above and beyond and that is where it ends, but you couldn’t be more wrong. Christine Becker (Dietitian) has also been a priceless asset to my success. She has been there every step of the way. She has adjusted, re-worked, and supervised my needs and support. She has been there and told me “good job” when I deserved it, and also helped keep me down to earth when I came to her (almost in tears) because I gained TWO pounds...She laughed (in a positive and supportive manner) and reminded me that I was down 257 pounds of “fat” and was still lifting weights 4-5 times a week and running 5-7 days, the weight was going to be muscles and not “fat”. Once again Christine has proven herself a priceless asset to the team. These are just a few things that make Grand Health Partners the best place to go. Their support and true compassion for everyone is something that can not be matched anywhere. They offer so much to their patients to ensure that they are successful. I truly think that the only way they could possibly be any more supportive or help you out any more is if they followed you around slapping food out of your hand. Thank you to Andy for your unending support with my “physical” improvements, Christine for your food and nutritional support, Scott Glass (Behaviorist) for keeping my mind aware of what bad choice I was making and why, Physician Assistants Matt and Todd for all of your help in the hospital and when I come into the office, Dr. White for keeping me on track at my appointments, reminding me what past errors have been made and how I can avoid making them, Yvonne for believing in me even when I didn’t, Dr. Baker and Dr. Kemmeter for your support of me, your understanding of my fears, the prayers before surgery, and your support of my group here in Greenville. Last but certainly not least thank you to my wife Kelly and sons Dillon and Devon - without your love and support I know I would not of been nearly as successful as I have been. Just a side note: Kelly really did knock food out of my hand. Thanks, David Bramen To read more Grand Rapids bariatric surgery success stories, click the next link below.

I went to see Dr. Baker for the Lap Band procedure, but due to my countless health issues, he recommended that I have Gastric Bypass. It was difficult at first, learning a new way of life, learning to see and deal with food differently and learning the tricks to keep me from feeling sick. It was a journey - there is no doubt about that. It was as emotional as it was physical. I had to face issues I had long been covering up with food. My family life changed, the way people deal with me changed. I am no longer just the short, fat little gal in the corner - I am in the center of the room! But that did not happen by accident. I worked out 7 days a week. As the weight came off I was able to exercise more and more until I reached my goal weight that I have maintained for almost a year now. I started out 4'10" and 185lbs. I now weigh 98lbs. For someone as small as me, that was a tremendous amount to be carrying around everyday. It was no wonder I was tired and depressed. My advice to anyone who is thinking about weight loss surgery would be to spend some time to find out WHY you are eating so much. Find the core of your issues before your "drug" of choice is taken away. I wasn't sure in the beginning if I could do this, but a year and a half later - I could not be happier. It has truly given me a new life!!

I am a Bariatric and General Surgeon who trained in Grand Rapids - a couple of years behind Dr Baker, and a couple of years ahead of Drs Foote and Kemmeter. I worked with each of them over several years of hard residency. They are all outstanding surgeons, and wonderful guys, who live their values every day, at home and work. I travelled several hundred miles to have surgery with this team (Dr Foote specifically) for the complete package that their program and their practice offers. Although almost all Centers of Excellence give great care and service these days, I have been in the OR with these guys (recently, as well as in training) and know that there is no better care available anywhere. I have been in the OR's, and through the practices of DOZENS of surgeons in my training and travels, so I'm not just speaking in the abstract! I had a sleeve gastrectomy, and Jamie and his team were wonderful through the whole process. They made my self-pay situation work, and the Blodgett OR and Unit teams were friendly and capable - truly they exceeded my (very high) expectations. Many, many thanks! The tool has worked very well for me so far. I try to be responsible with it every day - logging my food, following the separation of liquids, getting exercise almost every day. "Perfect" is never my goal, because I would burn out, but I do think it is possible to "fail the tool" if you don't at least make it to "good" most days! My long term results are yet to be seen, but I know that if I ever need a revision to a RYGB, or even DS, Dr Foote will be there. That was a major attraction to the sleeve, over the Band (as well as avoiding implanted material...) Currently, I am moving from Duluth, MN to Bellingham, WA - will not be doing Bariatric Surgery there for now, but happy to talk with anyone.

In August I will celebrate my 5 year anniversary since my WLS. It has been a life altering experience that I would do again in a heartbeat. Have I felt that way everyday of these past 5 years...NO...but those days have been few and far between. After 5 years I can say that this tool I was given by Dr. Baker is still working. I still get things stuck if I don't chew well enough, my pouch is still small enough that I can only eat small portions or what I think of as what a 'normal portion' should be for anyone. I have maintained my weight at 150-155 for the past 3 years, when I get up close to the 155 mark I quickly get stricter on the rules and I lose it right away because I know how easy that 5 lbs can become 10, 20, etc... we've all been there. Dr. Baker and his staff were great when I had my surgery and even after I had to transfer out of state because of my job they helped me to transition by being there to answer my e-mail questions and phone calls. It was scary moving to a state where they do not do the surgery and there were no Drs who were very familiar with post surgery issues. I can honestly say I've been blessed with minimal issues around the surgery...my biggest issue is my iron runs low but it did before the surgery also.

I have been overweight my whole life. My whole family has struggled with their weight and I grew up with a warped sense of what proper nutrition was. Finally after having two beautiful boys and realizing that I was going to watch them grow up with a "fat and unhealthy" mom I decided to do something about it. I took my first step by attending an informational seminar put on by Dr. Kemmeter. I was amazed at what an intelligent, confident, and straight forward yet kind man he was and I knew right then, there was no other choice for me. I knew that I needed this surgery to make myself healthy and to be around to watch my children grow up. In June of 2007 I had Roux en Y gastric bypass. I truly felt that was a day of rebirth. My highest weight was 276 lbs. Now I am almost 2 years out and I am maintaining my weight at around 145 lbs. I am in the process of planning some plastic surgery to remove some excess skin which will decrease my weight a little also. I feel wonderful! I now find myself choosing to excerise and wanting to eat healthy. Don't get me wrong... it is not easy everyday but I feel Dr. Kemmeter has given me a wonderful tool to help maintain my health and to be around for a very long time!

Now my husband has trouble walking with me because I have so much energy, before he had to pull me along when we went out. It's so good to feel good.

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